Tree and brush cutting and chipping apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for cutting and chipping trees and brush includes a housing telescopically received at the end of a hollow rectangular boom or secured onto the existing boom of a vehicle and for contacting tree limbs or brush to be cut and chipped. The housing has a cutting member at the front portion extending outwardly for cutting trees or brush and feeds the cut material into a chipper. The rear of the housing forms a rectangular duct and a pair of alignment guides extend angularly outward from the front portion to receive the trunk of the tree being cut. A pair of cable guides extend between the top of the housing to the front of the alignment guides to divert power lines or cables and prevent them from being cut. The chipper reduces the cut material to chip size for passage through the duct. A blower moves chipped materials rearwardly through the duct portion. A nozzle on the underside of the housing discharges fluid onto the remaining cut materials to seal the cut portion. The cutting member preferably is a cylindrical member with radially-extending cutting blades secured thereon and rotate in the opposite direction of the chipping member.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for cutting and chipping trees and brush comprising: a hollow tubular housing having side walls and an open front and rear and adapted to be secured onto the boom of a vehicle for contacting trees or brush to be cut and chipped,   a cutting member movably secured at the front of said housing and extending outwardly therefrom,   said cutting member being movable to cut the trees and brush and the like and then feed the cut material into said housing,   a rotary chipping member secured within said housing transversely between said side walls and spaced from said cutting member to receive the cut material,   said chipping member being rotatable to reduce the cut material to chip size and feed the chips through the open rear end of said housing,   means controllable from the vehicle for extending, retracting, and steering said boom to move said housing into contact with trees or brush to be cut,   means controllable from said vehicle for moving said cutting member, and   means controllable from said vehicle for rotating said chipping member.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said housing has side walls extending angularly outward from the open front to form a pair of diverging alignment guides for receiving the trunk of the object being cut and cable guides extending between the top of said housing to the front of the alignment guides for directing power lines or cables and the like over said housing to divert them from the path of said cutting and chipping members and prevent them from being cut.   
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said rotary chipping member comprises a cylindrical member having a series of circumferentially spaced chipping blades secured longitudinally to the circumference to extend radially outward therefrom, and   said means for rotating said chipping member comprises a hydraulic motor.   
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said cutting member comprises a rotatable cylindrical member having a series of circumferentially spaced cutting blades secured longitudinally thereof and extending radially outward,   said cutting member being rotatably and pivotally secured within the front portion of said housing and rotatable about its horizontal axis in the reverse direction from said chipping member to feed the cut material into the chipping blades of said chipping member, and   said means for moving said cutting member comprising a hydraulic motor for rotating said cutting member.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means controllable from said vehicle for advancing chipped materials produced by said chipping member rearwardly through the duct portion of said housing.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said means for advancing chipped materials produced by said chipping member comprises a blower on the duct portion of said housing in communication with the interior thereof to facilitate movement of the chipped materials.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a fluid discharge nozzle mounted on the underside of said housing connected to a source of pressurized fluid to discharge fluid onto the remaining cut materials to seal the cut portion against hazards which may cause damage to the remaining portion and to arrest growth or effect destruction of unwanted foliage, and   means controllable from said vehicle for controlling the operation of said nozzle.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including an elongate flexible hollow duct releasably connected at one end to the duct portion at the back of said housing and the other end extending outwardly therefrom to form an exhaust chute for receiving the produced chips from the open back of said housing and directing the chips to a suitable recepticle.   
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said cutting member comprises a toothed chain saw member having guide arms pivotally secured at one end beneath the front end of said housing and the other ends extending outwardly to pivot in scissors motion,   a chain carried on the periphery of each guide arm and having a plurality of spaced cutting elements secured thereon,   chain drive means controllable from the vehicle for driving said chain,   said chain driven about the periphery of said guide arms whereby the facing chain surfaces move in a direction toward the open front end of said housing to advance the cut material thereinto, and   said cutting member moving means comprising pivot means for moving said guide arms in a scissors motion.   
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said pivot means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders.   
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said cutting member comprises a pair of elongated shearing blades pivotally secured at one end beneath the front end of said housing and the other ends extending outwardly therefrom to pivot in a scissors motion, each blade having cutting surface on the inward facing edge, and   said cutting member moving means comprises pivot means for moving said shearing blades in a scissors motion.   
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which said pivot means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders.   
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said vehicle boom comprises an extensible and dirigible, hollow carrier boom assembly mounted at one end on said vehicle frame and the other end adapted to receive the duct portion of said housing, said hollow boom assembly receiving the produced chips from the open back end of said housing and directing the chips to a suitable recepticle.   
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to claim 13 including an elongated hollow exhaust chute movably connected at one end to said boom assembly mounted on said vehicle frame and extending outwardly to form an exhaust chute for receiving the produced chips from said boom assembly and and directing the chips to a suitable recepticle.   
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which said means for extending, retracting, and steering the boom of said vehicle comprise at least one hydraulic cylinder.   
     
     
       16. Apparatus according to claim 13 including means controllable from said vehicle for advancing chipped materials produced by said chipping member rearwardly through the interior of said boom assembly.   
     
     
       17. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which said means for advancing chipped materials produced by said chipping member comprises a blower motor mounted on the boom assembly in communication with the interior thereof to facilitate movement of the chipped materials.   
     
     
       18. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which said boom assembly comprises:   a hollow rectangular enclosure adapted at the front end to slidably receive the rearwardly extending duct portion of said housing and the rear end of said enclosure pivotally connected to a second rectangular enclosure with a flexible connector provided between the interiors of said enclosures,   the rear end of said second enclosure pivotally mounted to said vehicle,   means controllable from the vehicle to move the rear portion of said housing and said first stated enclosure telescopically,   means controllable from the vehicle to move said first stated enclosure and said second enclosure pivotally,   means controllable from the vehicle to pivot said second enclosure on said vehicle.   
     
     
       19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which said telescopic moving means comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder.   
     
     
       20. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which said pivoting means for said first state enclosure and said second enclosure comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder.   
     
     
       21. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which said pivoting means for said second enclosure and said vehicle comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder.   
     
     
       22. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said vehicle comprises;   a wheeled vehicle frame having means for generating hydraulic power and chip receptacle mounted thereon,   an extensible and dirigible, hollow carrier boom assembly mounted at one end on said vehicle frame and the other end adapted to receive and carry said housing into contact with objects to be cut, said hollow boom assembly receiving the produced chips from the open back end of said housing and directing the chips into an exhaust chute,   a hollow chute member connected to said hollow carrier boom assembly for receiving and directing chipped materials into the chip containing means, and   a cab enclosure mounted on the frame of said vehicle and including a seat and a control panel having control means wherein the operator of said apparatus may sit and operate said means controllable from said vehicle.